Plant Pumpkins in Zone 9a

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 9a

Start indoors

Feb 8

Transplant

Mar 15

Direct sow

Mar 15

Harvest (~100d)

Jun 23

Zone 9a averages 274 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around March 1 to a first fall frost around November 30. Pumpkins needs roughly 100 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 36 percent of that window. Pumpkins is a tender crop, which is what decides where in the window it belongs.

Because pumpkins needs a head start, sow seed indoors around Feb 8, about 3 weeks ahead of the Zone 9a last frost. Transplants go out around Mar 15. Starting earlier than that in Zone 9a usually backfires: plants outgrow their cells and stall when they finally hit cold soil. At 100 days to harvest, a 274-day Zone 9a season has room for about 2 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.

Fall planting: pumpkins in Zone 9a

Pumpkins has no useful fall window in Zone 9a. Pumpkins are already a fall harvest, but they are planted in early summer. There is no second sowing.

Pumpkins are already a fall harvest, but they are planted in early summer. There is no second sowing.

Fall dates are counted backward from the Zone 9a average first frost, not forward from a sowing date. See the fall planting calendar by zone for the full method.

Spring vs fall pumpkins in Zone 9a

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Feb 8	Mar 15	Jun 23
Fall	—	—	—

Last spring frost

Mar 1

First fall frost

Nov 30

Growing season

274 days

Pumpkins in nearby zones

Pumpkins in Zone 8b (colder) Pumpkins in Zone 9b (warmer) Full Pumpkins grow guide Zone 9a planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 9a

Tomatoes in Zone 9a Peppers in Zone 9a Cucumbers in Zone 9a Lettuce in Zone 9a Zucchini in Zone 9a Carrots in Zone 9a Beans (bush) in Zone 9a Peas in Zone 9a Broccoli in Zone 9a Spinach in Zone 9a Kale in Zone 9a Onions in Zone 9a Garlic in Zone 9a Potatoes in Zone 9a Squash (winter) in Zone 9a Corn in Zone 9a Radishes in Zone 9a Beets in Zone 9a Eggplant in Zone 9a Basil in Zone 9a Cilantro in Zone 9a Parsley in Zone 9a Sunflowers in Zone 9a

Frequently asked questions

When should I start pumpkins in Zone 9a?

Start pumpkins seeds indoors around Feb 8 (Zone 9a).

Can I direct sow pumpkins in Zone 9a?

Yes, direct sow around Mar 15.

Can I plant pumpkins in the fall in Zone 9a?

Pumpkins has no useful fall window in Zone 9a. Pumpkins are already a fall harvest, but they are planted in early summer. There is no second sowing.

Will pumpkins survive frost in Zone 9a?

No. Pumpkins is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 9a planting has to finish before the average first frost.

How many plantings of pumpkins fit in a Zone 9a season?

About 2. Zone 9a averages 274 frost-free days and pumpkins needs roughly 100 days plus a couple of weeks of turnaround, so sowing every 57 days keeps a supply coming.